Farmers from Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) on Wednesday started their 'Chandigarh Chalo' march as part of their protest but were stopped at the border. The SKM said the farmers were not being allowed to enter Chandigarh and were being blocked by the Punjab Police. The march is a part of a week-long sit-in in Chandigarh planned by the SKM in support of various farmer demands. Before leaving for Chandigarh to join the 'Pakka Morcha', a large number of farmers, including women, gathered at the grain market of village Gharacho under the leadership of Bharatiya Kisan Union Ekta Ugrahan state leader Jagtar Singh Kalajhad and Block Senior Vice President Manjit Singh Gharacho.
At both places, the farmers raised slogans against the Punjab government and condemned the action of the Punjab government to deploy heavy police force on the roads and detain the farmers to stop the farmers from going to Chandigarh.
DIG Ropar Range, Harcharan Singh Bhullar, on the farmers' Chandigarh Chalo march, said, "..Punjab is totally peaceful. Wherever the farmers have come, Police in that area have stopped them there itself. They are sitting there at the side peacefully. Traffic is normal across Punjab...They will not be allowed to reach Chandigarh at any cost. We have tight security...A few people have been rounded up...There is good coordination between Punjab and Chandigarh Police.."
It is pertinent to mention here that Chandigarh-Zirakpur Highway witnessed heavy traffic jam as Punjab Police heightened security in view of farmers' protest.
Punjab CM Bhagwant Singh Mann on Tuesday lashed out at several farmer bodies for resorting to protests every other day, turning Punjab into a “state of dharnas” and causing a huge loss to the state. Not only this, but the Punjab Chief Minister also denounced farmer organisations after talks between the Punjab government and Samyukta Kisam Morcha leaders to discuss farmers’ demands broke down midway on Monday.
CM Mann lambasted farmer unions and said, "Yes, I left the meeting, and we will detain them as well... Won’t allow farmers to sit on tracks and roads. I told farmers that every day you hold 'rail roko', 'sadak roko' protest... This is causing immense losses to Punjab. The state is facing economic losses. Punjab is becoming a state of 'dharna'. Don't take my soft-heartedness into thinking that I do not take action."
Explaining his decision to leave the meeting abruptly, he pointed out that he had told farmers discussions and protests could not happen simultaneously. "But if you tell me that morcha will continue along with the meeting, I cancel the meeting, and you can continue with the morcha," he said before walking out.